FranceLink

France makes abortion a constitutional right

Move makes France the first country in the world to explicitly include the right to abortion in its constitution.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

France has become the first country in the world to explicitly include the right to abortion in its constitution, reports the BBC.

Parliamentarians voted to revise the country's 1958 constitution to enshrine women's "guaranteed freedom" to abort.

The overwhelming 780-72 vote saw a standing ovation in the parliament in Versailles when the result was announced.

President Emmanuel Macron described the move as "French pride" that had sent a "universal message".

However anti-abortion groups have strongly criticised the change, as has the Vatican.

Abortion has been legal in France since 1975, but polls show around 85% of the public supported amending the constitution to protect the right to end a pregnancy.

And while several other countries include reproductive rights in their constitutions - France is the first to explicitly state that an abortion will be guaranteed.

It becomes the 25th amendment to modern France's founding document, and the first since 2008.

Following the vote, the Eiffel Tower in Paris was lit up in celebration, with the message: "My Body My Choice".

Read more of this report from the BBC.